


Recovery

by Kaychan87



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/M, Friendship, Hydra (Marvel), Post-Civil War (Marvel), Recovery, Romance, SHIELD, Sokovia, Wakanda
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-01
Updated: 2016-06-01
Packaged: 2018-07-11 12:13:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7050499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaychan87/pseuds/Kaychan87
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-Civil War!</p>
<p>6 months after he went into stasis in Wakanda, Bucky Barnes is awakened to start his long road to recovery. You have been asked by T'Challa to be a source of support for the recovering ex-assassin. Over six months, you and Bucky become more to each other than either of you thought possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> Post-Civil War, read at your own risk if you haven't seen the movie. Both Reader and Bucky's POVs

Six months had passed since Bucky Barnes had gone back into stasis. Six months since Captain America and his Avengers had gone into hiding, labelled criminals by 117 world governments. Six months since you had begun learning everything you could about the man in stasis. Over the past six King T’Challa had worked alongside Steve Rogers to find a way to reverse HYDRA’s programming and free Bucky from them once and for all. When they had finally found someone who could, T’Challa had come to you in hopes that you could help the man navigate his new surroundings. You owed a great deal to the Wakandan royal family and had agreed quickly to his request.

That was how you came to be sitting in a plush chair next to his bed, waiting for the sedative he had been given to wear off. He’d had an episode after coming out of stasis – a panic attack more than a violent episode. The doctors had wanted to restrain him but you had been against it. The argument had gotten heated fairly quickly and in the end, you had won. Bucky Barnes was a victim who needed kindness more than restraints. Even in his sleep, with his broken metal arm and dark circles under his eyes, he looked broken, haunted even. It was a look you had seen many times.

A groan from the man beside you drew you from your thoughts. You watched, still and rigid as a tree, as his eyes fluttered open and he brought his hand to scrub at his face. Finally his hand clutched at his forehead as he sat up slowly. “What the hell…” he groaned quietly. You watched him with baited breath as he slowly took in his surroundings, confusion written clearly across his face. His gaze finally landed on you, his stormy eyes locking onto yours. “Who the hell are you?” he growled, trying to sound menacing.  
You thought your heart skipped a beat as you waited for him to do or say anything else. You finally exhaled before offering him a smile. “I am (Name). I am a friend,” you replied.  
Bucky narrowed his eyes at you and you wished you knew what he was thinking as his eyes roamed over you, assessing the situation he was in. He didn’t trust you, didn’t recognize you as someone he should know.

“King T’Challa asked me to help you adjust to life out of stasis and in Wakanda,” you offered up to him. You kept your voice soft. You did not want him to think of you as a threat.

“Your accent isn’t Wakandan, not fully,” he stated as though he were trying to catch you in a lie.

“I have been a citizen of Wakanda for a long time,” you tell him, “but I was born in Sokovia. You are not the first to seek refuge from the terrors HYDRA has inflicted on the world in Wakanda, Mr. Barnes.”

Bucky watched you thoughtfully before he gave a slight nod of acceptance. He ran his hand through his hair, brushing it out of his face, before glancing at the remainder of his metal arm. “How long?” he asked gruffly. “How long was I under this time?”

“Six months.” Bucky’s eyes flicked back over to you. “Our king has been diligent in his search to help you. He wishes to make amends for trying to take your life.”

“Where’s Steve?”

“He is away on a mission,” you replied, your body still tense and rigid. You had no idea how Bucky was going to react to his best friend being away from Wakanda, leaving him at the mercy of strangers.

“Relax, doll, I’m not going to hurt you,” he told you, a sudden playfulness in his rough voice.

“I am worried about you hurting yourself,” you said quickly as you relaxed back into your chair.

“Is he still operating outside the Accords?” Bucky asked, serious once more. 

You nodded slowly, not liking the idea that the world viewed Captain America as an enemy. “When the team is not on missions, they reside here in Wakanda. You have many kind friends, your Avengers.”

Bucky looked away from you then. It was probable he didn’t view the Avengers that had stuck with Captain America as friends. It broke your heart to think of him as a man with no real friends. It seemed like such a lonely way to live. You had been lucky when your family had escaped Sokovia – they had been diplomats with friends in many countries. Wakanda was a personal favourite of theirs and it was that reason that the previous king had allowed them asylum in the otherwise reclusive country. They had been lucky enough to keep you protected from HYDRA. You had grown up with T’Challa for a friend. Bucky’s fate had been the opposite of yours; he had been beaten and broken before being made into a living weapon. He had known nothing but decades of nothing but bloodshed and cruelty. Until that moment. All of HYDRA’s work was about to be undone.

“Tomorrow you will begin your treatment with the doctors tomorrow, Sergeant Barnes. It likely will not be a pleasant process,” you warned him. “In light of that, I would like very much to make tonight a happy night for you. Would you consider dining with us tonight?”

Bucky quirked an eyebrow at you. “Are you always so formal?”

“I do not wish to offend by being overly familiar with you,” you answered, an embarrassed blush creeping onto your cheeks.

“Yeah, I’ll eat with you,” he said instead, his tone still gruff.

You smiled brilliantly at him before rising from your chair. “This will be your room while you are here. You have a private bath and the wardrobe is filled with clothes for you. Please tell us if the sizes are wrong.”

“Yeah, sure,” Bucky mumbled while you watched him take in the room the two of you were in for the first time. It was clear to you that the man had never had such opulent accommodations before. You hoped it wouldn’t be too overwhelming.

“I need to get myself ready for dinner. I can come back and show you around before dinner… if you’d like that, of course,” you offered, treading carefully. You felt like you were walking on eggshells with him. The last thing you wanted to do was make him feel like he had no choice in the matter or that he was a prisoner in T’Challa’s palace. Bucky gave a nod and you couldn’t help your smile. “I will be back soon, then,” you declared before slipping out of the room, smile still plastered on your face.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The first month of his therapy sessions and deprogramming had be a literal hell for Bucky. More than once he’d had to be sedated before he lost all control and slipped back into the empty shell that was called the Winter Soldier. It was so easy for him to slip back into that coldly rational mind frame where everyone was a target, a mission. His missing arm made him no less dangerous thanks to Zola’s “enhancements”. After the first session, one of his doctors had ended up with a broken arm on top of many smaller injuries caused by Bucky. It had taken the Black Panther to get Bucky sedated that day. He’d been filled with near crippling amounts of guilt when he’d woken and the urge to go right back into stasis. He’d be there if you hadn’t been there when he woke up.

It had shocked Bucky to see you; he’d had no idea how long he’d been asleep when his eyes landed on you. You had once again occupied his armchair, moving it close to his bed. You’ had your legs tucked up against your chest, your head resting on your knees. He’d stared at you, completely fixated by the fact you had fallen asleep there. He’d known you almost twenty-four hours by that point and it surprised him you were comfortable enough to let your guard down enough to have a nap. That image of you sleeping stayed with him through every grueling session that followed that month. Not that he would admit it to anyone, but it gave him a sense of comfort. You had given him your trust freely, never asking him for anything in return. It was different from having Steve’s trust; Steve had expectations and memories of a past Bucky was still piecing together. The Avengers trusted him because Steve did. You had only been asked to keep Bucky company, not trust him. Certainly T’Challa was using you to keep an eye on Bucky rather than genuinely care about him. HYDRA had done the same in a much crueler way. At least you were easy on the eyes. It had been far too long since Bucky had gotten to enjoy the company of a pretty girl.

“Sergeant Barnes?”

Pretty though you were, Bucky also noticed you were stubborn. After a month of telling you not to call him ‘Sergeant Barnes’, you had stubbornly continued to do so. Bucky was beginning to suspect you were enjoying seeing him annoyed. “If you don’t stop callin’ me that, I’m goin’ to ignore you, kotyonok,” he told you as he turned to face you. He could play the stubborn game as well as anyone. He had discovered that you it annoyed you to be called any animal related pet name. He’d also discovered you were fluent in several of the same languages he had been made to learn during his time with both the KGB and HYDRA. 

You folded your arms over your chest and muttered something unpleasant sounding in what he assumed was Wakandan. 

Bucky just smiled charmingly at you and motioned for you to enter his room. Aside from the times he’d been sedated, you never just entered his room. You respected his boundaries and never forced anything on him. “What’s up, (Name)?” he asked when you didn’t move. He watched your expression soften and you shake your head.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing, James,” you told him with a smile, though it didn’t quite reach your eyes. 

“Tell me what’s bothering you,” he asked again as he stood up. You opened your mouth to protest but Bucky put a stop to that. “C’mere,” he insisted even as he approached you. He watched you hesitate just a moment more before acquiescing. He ushered you over to the couch he had been sitting on while lost in his thoughts.

“There have been some issues with Helmut Zemo. He is more than he appears to be,” you said softly glancing up at him quickly before looking at the floor.

Bucky felt a surge of anger rush through him at the mention of Zemo. The man had manipulated him along with the Avengers in an attempt to rid the world of enhanced individuals. Bucky hated that man more than he hated himself. “What happened?”

“Did you know he is Sokovian? His family has political ties and was a staunch supporter of HYDRA before my own parents fled our home?” you asked, your gaze never leaving the floor. T’Challa had explained Zemo’s motives as he knew them to Steve and Bucky before Bucky had gone into stasis. “There were things he revealed during his interrogations…”  
Bucky reached out, taking your hand in his. “Please tell me what’s going on,” he asked gently.

You shook your head at him before looking up at him. “I’m sorry to have come and bother you. I should be more considerate. You have too much to process without having to deal with my past as well.”

Bucky couldn’t deny that he had a lot of baggage; he’d been alive too many years not to. Aside from your penchant for languages and your odd feelings towards pet names, Bucky didn’t know a whole hell of a lot about you. You were a Sokovian with Wakandan citizenship. And you knew just about everything about Bucky through his files and from the things Steve had told you. You knew more about him than he knew about himself. “You never talk about yourself. Please, (Name)?” He watched as you inhaled deeply before turning to face him though you didn’t make eye contact.

“My father was a politician and he spoke out against HYDRA’s ever increasing influence on our country. He and my mother were very involved in charity both within and outside of Sokovia. That is how they came to become good friends with King T’Chaka, the king of one of the world’s most reclusive countries. They met on a humanitarian mission. That bond they forged is what allowed them to relocate us here when HYDRA’s influence grew to the point my parents became a threat to them,” you said softly, your face devoid of emotion. It was a look Bucky knew well. He’d looked like that for years – completely shut down. Bucky knew your story was not going to be one with a happy ending.

“What happened to them? Your parents?” Bucky asked, his voice a low rumble. 

“We received full citizenship here. My parents continued to do their charity works in the name of Wakanda and for a few years, our lives were good. I grew up in this amazing country with T’Challa as my closest friend and confidant. I got to see firsthand some of the greatest technological marvels designed to do good things in the world. I was able to grow up without fear, far from the reach of HYDRA.

“Then suddenly my world came to a bloody halt. HYDRA found my parents while they were on a good will mission in Russia. They had my parents killed by one of their factions. I have known my whole life who killed my family, James. My father did not coddle me or teach me to believe there was only good in the world. It would appear Zemo had access to those mission reports as well as the ones from December of 1991. He used my parents’ death to taunt Mr. Ross and, through him, my king.”

The muscles in Bucky’s jaw tightened. He definitely did not like where you were going with your story. He’d had hits in Russia prior; he remembered them well. There had been a man and a woman pair. He hadn’t been given more than their pictures. When he was the soldier, he hadn’t needed to know the details. All he had to do was obey. He suddenly pulled his hand away from yours and rose from the couch. He had killed Tony Stark’s parents and now it seemed like you were about to reveal he had killed yours. The last thing he wanted was to be responsible for your pain. After everything you had done for him since he came out of stasis, the idea that you would hate him tore at him. He had so much blood on his hands, had created so much heartache and misery for so many people. Was he worth saving anymore? Did he want to be saved? Every major event in the last several decades could have been avoided if he’d just died like any normal person would have after falling from that train.

“I should go back under,” he muttered to himself, his voice thick with emotion. “I don’t deserve a life after everything I’ve done.” He stood with his back to you, leaning on the mantelpiece of his room’s white marble fireplace. He didn’t need to look at you to know you would never again smile at him. He had been the one whose hands ruined your life.

“What do you mean? Of course you do!” you protested, the anger in your voice making Buck flinch. He would not turn around though. He was not strong enough to meet your wrath head on. “HYDRA made you do those things. Just like their men inside the Russian police are responsible for my parents’ death and not an accident.”

“What?”

“James, did you think…?”

“Of course I did! I killed so many people for HYDRA and with you not wanting to talk about it with me… Damn it, kotyonok!” The pet name had just slipped out as relief and anger waged war within him. Before he could turn back to face you, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his middle and a small form press into his back. He tensed, shocked that he hadn’t picked up on her movements, before relaxing against her.

“Even if it had been the Winter Soldier, it wouldn’t have been you. You are not that weapon. You are James Barnes, a good and kind man who was put through unspeakable torture in an attempt to erase him from the world.”

The whole mood shifted with your words; Bucky’s anger melted away. His misgivings about being allowed to live when he had ended so many lives early were still there. It would take more than a month of therapy and deprogramming for those to let up. Still, with the anger gone, the darkness inside of him wasn’t as crushing as it had been. Bucky’s hand covered yours. “Are you crying?” He might not have heard you sneak up behind him but he certainly could feel you trembling against him and the slight hitch in your breathing.

“I most certainly am not. I come to comfort you in your time of need and you speak such nonsense?” you said, talking into his back.

Bucky couldn’t help the quiet chuckle that your words drew from him. “Nonsense, huh? If you say so… myshka.”

“That is quite enough from you, Sergeant Barnes,” you countered. Bucky could feel you smiling. Having you in his corner would make his recovery that much more bearable.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Why are we doing this again?” demanded Bucky as you pulled him towards the common room in the Avengers’ corner of the palace. He was four months into his therapy send you had decided it was time he started actively socializing with the Avengers. 

All you could do was roll your eyes at him and squeeze his hand reassuringly at the same time. “Making friends with your team is important, James.” He opened his mouth to protest but you held up your free hand to silence him. “Steve and Sam do not count. You have neglected forming a bond with Scott, Clint, and Wanda.”

“I’ve been busy getting my arm repaired,” huffed Bucky.

“You have had plenty of time to be a thorn in my side in spite of that,” you tease with a smile. You couldn’t deny that the work on his arm was as time consuming as his sessions. He had a team of the best minds working on his arm, including a young SHIELD agent who was hailed as the next Tony Stark by Steve. And you certainly weren’t complaining about the time Bucky spent with you. You had grown quite fond of James Buchanan Barnes over the four months you had known him. In all honesty, you could not imagine not having him in your life. You would not change a thing about the life you were currently leading. It felt liberating to finally have someone who understood the pain you had gone through thanks to HYDRA.

It didn’t hurt that he was handsome, either. You had noticed his looks in his file pictures in the beginning but they had been the furthest thing from your mind. The more time you spent with him, the more you got to know him, the more you took notice. His look from the 1940s was dashing, clean cut, and a little bit arrogant. He had been a man who knew adored him. You preferred him as he was – long hair, stubble on his face. His dark locks were so soft and you loved that you got to touch it without it being awkward or embarrassing. Bucky liked it tied back when he worked out and he hadn’t mastered being able to do that with one hand.

“I don’t know anything about modern movies,” Bucky continued, pulling you from your thoughts.

You squeezed his hand. “You don’t need to. You just sit and watch. Decide if you like it.” 

“I’m sure they’d rather watch it without me,” Bucky tried again.

“Hey Buck, (Name)! Glad you could join us!” Steve called as you pulled Bucky into the room. You smirked and squeezed Bucky’s hand again. “We’re watching something called _I Love You, Man_. Scott said the main actor looks like him.”

“I saw that when it was released!” you piped up excitedly. You continued to lead Bucky by the hand until the two of you were sitting down on the same couch as Steve. Clint, Wanda, and Scott were on the second couch while Sam occupied an armchair close to Bucky.

“Doing all right. How you doing?” he replied, his eyebrow still raised at you. You saw his gaze was on yours and Bucky’s clasped hands rather than at your face and blushed. “Looks like you’re doing fine, girl,” he added with a smirk.

“Yeah, you finally managed to get Barnes to join us. Your secret super power, right?” chimed in Clint, his gaze following Sam’s as he leaned forward to see you around Wanda and Steve. “Super charm? Mesmerizing good looks?”

Your cheeks burned red at Clint’s last comment. “I asked politely.”

“Leave her alone,” Bucky said, his voice taking on a commanding edge. His hand slipped out of yours before he casually dropped his arm around your shoulders.

“Aw, Bucky’s got a girlfriend,” teased Clint as a huge grin filled his face.

“Jealous Barton?” Bucky demanded more than asked.

Everyone else, yourself included, all glanced at Bucky. He hadn’t denied Clint’s statement. You felt your stomach flutter at the thought that Bucky could want that type of relationship with you. You had never talked about your love lives; it had never seemed important to discuss. You weren’t sure it was entirely appropriate, either. He was recovering from a thorough brainwashing. Anything more than a platonic friendship would be crossing a line.

“Really Buck? Did you finally ask (Name) to be your gal?” Steve asked his friend.

“Good for you, man. She’s great,” added Scott with a smile.

“We’re friends,” Bucky practically barked. His tone made you flinch slightly.

“Sure Barnes, we believe you,” scoffed Sam.

“(Name)? Are you all right?” Wanda asked softly. She could see how uncomfortable you were becoming.

You felt everyone’s eyes on you and stood up quickly. “Yes, fine, thank you Wanda,” you said quickly. You gave your fellow Sokovian a tender smile before stepping away from the couch. “It’s just… I forgot I have to help T’Challa with something,” you added quickly, smoothing out the wrinkles in your skirt. You glanced back at Bucky quickly, his eyes boring into yours. “I’m fine, James,” you said softly, answering his unspoken question before quickly rushing out of the room.

“Way to go, you jackasses,” you heard Bucky growl as you hurried down the hallway. You kept going until you found a quiet balcony overlooking the lush Wakandan jungle to hide on. You had always loved the views of the jungle from the palace. The views were breathtaking and the balconies were often the quietest parts of your home. You had developed a habit of hiding there when your parents had died. The jungle never looked at you with pity or tried to offer you hollow words of sympathy and condolence. It had been T’Challa who had introduced you to your hiding spots. The young prince had been the only one who hadn’t treated you like you were fragile piece of glass. You remembered it like it was yesterday – the feel of T’Challa’s hand on yours, the determined set to his jaw as he explained how the balconies were the best hiding spots. Truth be told, T’Challa had been both your closest friend and your first crush. And at that moment, you’d give anything to lean on his shoulder and ask for his advice. He was great at giving advice.  
In the silence of the early afternoon, you could easily make out the sound of heavy footfalls behind you. They were too heavy to be T’Challa’s though you couldn’t be too disappointed. A part of you had been hoping Bucky would come after you. 

“You all right, doll?” 

You smiled, loving how his voice was soft and gentle but firm and rough all at the same time. The man behind you was starting to find the balance between Bucky Barnes and the Winter Soldier. It was progress and victory, a sign that four months of hell and nightmares had been worth something.

“I told you I’m fine, James,” you told him without looking back at him. You didn’t want him to see just how bad you were blushing simply at the sound of his voice. “You didn’t need to follow me.”

“You lied about needing to see T’Challa,” he pointed out. “He’s not even here right now. He’s been gone all day.”

You bit your lip, cursing yourself for forgetting that. T’Challa had even told you he was going to be spending the day at the university. “I’m sorry.”

“Would it be so bad?” he asked, his voice lowering to almost a whisper. You finally looked over your shoulder at him, brow furrowing in confusion. “Bein’ my girl,” he clarified. You felt your blush deepen as he watched you carefully.

“Of course not, James! You are kind and strong and… and you’re just so… remarkable,” you replied, stumbling over your words. You were never so inarticulate around him but then, he had never looked at you quite like he was in that moment. They were dark and stormy and you knew a million different thoughts had to be racing through his mind. He was watching you like a hawk, taking in all of you. “James,” you said softly, turning completely around.

“Ain’t like I’m gonna break if ya say ‘no’, y’know,” he told you bluntly. 

You knew he was trying to sound tough, nonchalant even, but you were just as perceptive as he was. There had been a slight tremor to his voice. Most people wouldn’t have caught it; you had heard it more times than you could count. After an especially vivid nightmare or session with his doctors, he would seek you out. His voice held the same tremor in all those moments. He had told you many times that he felt he could be more open with him because you didn’t expect him to act a certain way.

“C’mon (Name), say somethin’. I’m getting’ nervous standing here,” he added, licking his lips as he watched you. That little action had you wondering if his lips were as soft as they looked. You heard him chuckle and glanced up to see him smirking devilishly at you. “I see where your thoughts are, myshka. Wanna find out?”

All the colour drained from your face as you realized you had spoken out loud. “Oh shit!” you groaned, covering your face with your hands and turning away from him. You had just added to your embarrassment by cursing in front of him as well.

And Bucky? He was laughing outright, enjoying your embarrassment. You weren’t too mad, of course; hearing him laugh so happily warmed your heart. Bucky closed the distance between the two you quickly and leaned on the balcony rail next to you. “Feelin’s mutual, doll. Been wonderin’ the same thing about your lips,” he told you. You could hear the smirk in his voice.

“Is this what the women of Brooklyn had to put up with in the thirties and forties? Bucky Barnes’ attempts at being utterly charming?” you asked from behind your hands. The world had suddenly started to spin around you when he’d admitted to wanting to kiss you. Your first instinct had been to run but you knew you couldn’t out run the dark haired super soldier. Instead, you had gone with you next reaction – to treat him like the pain in the ass he was purposely acting like.

“Never had a single complaint from any dame.”

“You are highly annoying, Sergeant Barnes,” you huffed, spreading your fingers apart to glance at him in a covert manner.

“Yet you’re thinkin’ about how kissable my lips are,” he teased gently. Shifting slightly, he turned and took hold of your wrist, pulling your hand from your face. After a moment, you lowered the other one. He was close enough to kiss as he studied your face carefully. Finally, he brought his hand up to caress your cheek. “You’re beautiful.”

Those two words were enough to get you blushing again. Sure, you’d gotten compliments on your looks before. You’d never received them with the same level of sincerity before and you knew Bucky wasn’t just referring to your looks. You had opened up to him a lot more over the last three months and he knew all of your dark and damaged parts as intimately as you knew his.

“You scared kotyonok?” he asked, leaning closer to you.

Rolling your eyes, you replied, “Who’d be scared of you?”

“I’m an unstable, ninety-nine year old ex-assassin,” he replied with a lopsided grin.

“You’re James, my friend,” you corrected, placing your hand over his and pressing it closer to your cheek. . “A very important friend.”

“See? Scared,” he stated confidently as he watched you. Bucky placed a kiss on your forehead. “I ain’t going nowhere, doll. I’ll wait for you.”

“How can you be so sure about this? Doesn’t the thought of hurting one another scare you?”

“You see me as I am and it doesn’t terrify you. And you don’t put up with my nonsense as you like to call it. And you couldn’t hurt a fly, myshka.” 

“I swear, James, I will make you rue those words!” you hissed, narrowing your eyes at him.

He chuckled again. “There’s my (Name).” His grin widened as you grumbled several curses at him in Sokovian and Wakandan. “What a mouth you have, myshka!” His hand moved from your cheek and snaked around your waist, pulling you against him.

“So help me James…” you warned even as you wrapped your arms around his neck. “You are lucky you only have one arm and that it would be unfair to exact my vengeance now, Sergeant.”

“You just wait ‘til I get my arm back, doll. Won’t be resisting me then,” he countered, dropping his head closer to yours until your foreheads were touching. You began to blush again at how close the two of you were. His breath tickled your skin each time he exhaled. “May I?” he asked, his gaze moving from your eyes to your lips and back again. You gave a nod, your eyes fluttering shut as your stomach did somersaults and your heart pounded against your chest. Bucky slowly ran his hand up your back, making you shiver slightly, until he reached the back of your neck. 

“Just kiss her already!”

Bucky stilled, a low growl emanating from deep within his chest, and your eyes snapped open. You were certain Bucky’s annoyance mirrored your own. “Fuck you, Barton,” Bucky growled.

“I’m flattered, but you’re not really my type,” Clint stated. 

“Everyone’s behind us, aren’t they?” you asked quietly. Bucky nodded in response.

“Sorry Buck, I couldn’t stop them,” came Steve’s sheepishly apologetic voice next. Bucky just rolled his eyes and you sighed, the moment ruined.

“Um… I think this is my fault,” came a third voice that you weren’t as familiar with. It took you a moment to realize it was Leo Fitz, the engineering prodigy Steve had recruited. “We need Sergeant Barnes for a fitting for the prosthetic. I hadn’t realized we’d be intruding.”

“We’ll be there in a minute,” Bucky told the young engineer.

“You want me to come?” you asked him.

“Need someone to test the arm out on. Gotta make sure I can treat my best girl proper with it,” Bucky replied as he stepped away from you.

Your brow furrowed at his words as you watched him step sway from you. “When did I agree to such a thing, Sergeant Barnes?” you asked him. Your tone was stern as you spoke to him but secretly you were elated. You were also scared, but you trusted Bucky. You could let yourself continue falling for him knowing he would catch you.

Bucky flashed you his most charming grin. “It’s inevitable, myshka.”

Following after Bucky as he made his way back inside, you rolled your eyes at his arrogance. “You’re speaking nonsense again,” you countered despite knowing he was right. Your loving him had been inevitable. 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Six grueling months had passed since Bucky Barnes had come out of stasis in the kingdom of Wakanda, bringing the man’s stay in the jungle country full circle. Almost a year to the day he had decided to go back into stasis until his mind could be fixed, until his mind was his own again. The last six months spent in therapy and deprogramming had helped his recovery along but not without incident. He was plagued with nightmares that had ended in a violent episode on more than one occasion. The worst of them usually required Steve or one of the other heroes to help subdue him before you could even attempt to help him. You had mastered the ability to ground Bucky in the present, to pull him from the terrors of his past. The only other person who’d been able to battle the fog of Bucky’s mind was Steve. The fact that you could as well gave everyone a sense of calm when Steve was away.

Outside of his sessions, Bucky was a master of his emotions. He was almost always stoic with everyone but you. Recently, however, Bucky was finding it hard to keep his emotions in check. He’d been doing everything possible for two months to woo you, to make you his girl. Most days, Bucky felt it was working. He understood why you were hesitant and he would wait until you were ready, but he wasn’t going to stop proving to you that he was serious about a relationship with you. Other days, he was lucky he didn’t erupt in a fit of jealous rage. He knew you were on good terms with Steve’s team. You had known them longer than you had known Bucky. He knew the fact that he felt anything was a positive, but he felt guilty for instinctually wanting to smash his fists in peoples’ faces as a show of dominance. His jealousy was the only thing he did not talk to you about. For that, he relied on Steve. Bucky knew if he ever slipped up, at least Steve could survive a fight against Bucky.

That day was one of Bucky’s bad days. You, Bucky, and the team were sitting outside on one of the many balconies, enjoying lunch together. Bucky was there because it made you smile more when he was social. He loved seeing your smile. Everything had been fine before and during lunch, when you had been by his side. You and Wanda had been having quite the conversation, slipping between English and Sokovian. Bucky liked Wanda; she was like you and Steve. While Wanda had voluntarily gone to HYDRA, she knew what it was like to be one of their experiments. And she had chosen to fight with Steve, fight with Bucky to stop Zemo. 

Everything had been fine while you were with Wanda. After lunch, though, Wanda and Clint had disappeared together. You had slipped away briefly, leaving Bucky with Sam and Steve. Scott with off in his own world, absorbed in his tablet. Bucky had been so caught up in reliving the past with Steve that he hadn’t noticed your return until he heard your laughter across the balcony. He stopped mid-story, his gaze snapping over to where you sat next to Scott, your heads together as you both stared intently at the tablet. You had covered your mouth to stifle your laughter while Scott was saying something to you that Bucky couldn’t hear.

“You all right man?” Sam asked, concern on his face.

“Buck?” added Steve, his hands flexing as he watched Bucky carefully.

“Fine. Fucking fine,” Bucky ground out, his jaw clenching as you leaned against Scott, your body shaking from your laughter. Bucky’s hands clenched into fists as he watched you and Scott with narrowed eyes.

“Don’t read too much into it. That girl only has eyes for you,” insisted Sam.

“Does he need to sit that close to her?” Bucky growled, ignoring Sam completely. He wanted to march over there and drag Scott away from you. He didn’t like that Scott was likely a better fit with you than Bucky was. Scott Lang was blessedly normal compared to Bucky. He wasn’t plagued by nightmares and didn’t need therapy almost daily. He wasn’t a monster like Bucky was. It killed him to even think someone else could offer you more than he ever could. He would always be a fugitive while the other Avengers could always be granted pardons. “Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. He raked his new prosthetic arm roughly through his hair roughly. He was going to lose it; Bucky felt himself slipping into that rage-fueled haze that always accompanied one of his episodes.

He felt Steve’s hand clamp down hard on his real shoulder, giving Bucky a firm squeeze. “How ‘bout a movie, Buck?” the blond suggested, his tone firm and authoritative. Bucky recognized it as his friend’s Captain America voice. Bucky’s gaze flicked over to Steve, catching the look in Steve’s bright blue eyes. They only reinforced Steve’s words.

“You see _The Empire Strikes Back_ yet?” Sam offered, quickly catching on to Steve’s plan. Even Bucky understood what Steve’s intentions were. The goal was to get Bucky out of the situation before it escalated and people, namely you, could get hurt. Scott could hold his own, but you weren’t a fighter. Compared to the Avengers, you were fragile like a porcelain doll.

“That could be a good one,” agreed Steve as he stood, pulling Bucky up as well. Sam followed suit, seconds slower than the super soldiers.

“You guys heading in?” came Scott’s voice, the trio’s movements catching yours and Scott’s attention. You gave Bucky a curious look.

“Gonna get our Star Wars on,” answered Sam.

“Are we finally watching _Empire_?” Scott asked, his eyes lighting up.

“Yeah,” replied Steve, hesitating slightly. Scott raised an eyebrow before his eyes shifted to where Steve’s hand was still holding Bucky.

“You’re gonna love _Empire_. Sets the stage for the most epic movie reveal ever,” Scott said.

“You should go with the boys, Scott,” you suggested.

“You wanna watch, too, (Name)?” Sam asked, trying not to be rude.

You shook your head and smiled at Bucky. “No, I’ll be fine. James will do well to have some guy time. Besides, my crying over Han and Leia will only ruin the experience for you.” You gave Bucky an encouraging smile.

Bucky could feel his anger calming down as you smiled at him. He thought he saw a faint pink tinge to your cheeks as you spoke of the two characters from the movie. Bucky had to admit it made him curious and not about the movie. The bickering between the princess and smuggler in the first movie had been a dead giveaway to Bucky. “I’ll catch up. Need to talk to (Name) first,” he practically barked at Steve.

“You sure Buck?”

Bucky just gave Steve a look. “Of course I am, punk. Get outta here,” he replied.

“Jerk,” huffed Steve as he released Bucky from his hold.

“Want me to find the other two?” Scott asked as he began to head inside.

“Guess it wouldn’t be right not to ask Barton and Wanda,” Sam said as he followed Scott.

“Bucky, maybe I should stay,” Steve said.

“James, what’s wrong? What happened?” you asked, sounding alarmed.

Bucky muttered a few curses under his breath as he glared at Steve. He loved the blond like a brother but he wanted to smack him for that damned Captain America voice. “It’s fine. I’m fine.”

“I’m not leaving until I know you won’t hurt (Name).”

“I’d never hurt her!” Bucky growled as you said, “James would never hurt me!”

Bucky could see that Steve was having none of it. “Not intentionally but I’m not taking any chances,” Steve stated as he folded his arms over his chest. All Bucky could do was glare at his friend. Lashing out would only validate Steve’s reaction.

“James?” Your gentle voice and the feel of your hand slipping into his caused all the anger to just suddenly leave his body. “Please talk to me.”

“I’m jealous,” Bucky muttered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. “Anyone one of these punks would be better for you and I’m jealous.” He watched you carefully as your brow furrowed in confusion at his confession.

“None of them are you, though,” you finally said, looking up at him. “Are you… did you change your… your mind about me?”

Bucky looked at you, taking all of you in. You had gone completely rigid and while your voice hadn’t waivered, the fact that you had to stop and figure out your phrasing spoke volumes. Your eyes were dry; Bucky knew you wouldn’t cry with Steve there. You were careful to always remain cheerful and smiling in front of everyone else. Your darker feelings came out when you were alone. “Never. You and this punk are the only people I am sure of in this world. Even if you kick me to the curb, I won’t give up on you. You’re the only woman I want, doll.” The dark haired man used his hold on your hand to pull you into his arms. He didn’t care that Steve was still awkwardly standing there as he brought his free hand up to cup your cheek tenderly. Before you could utter a word about Bucky’s actions, his mouth was on yours. He couldn’t wait any longer and he reveled in the way your lips felt against his, the way they tasted of mint and honey. He smiled against your lips as he felt your free hand clutch tightly at his shirt as you kissed back. He released your hand and let his arm wrap protectively around you.

The kiss ended much too soon for Bucky’s liking as you pulled back slightly, your face redder than he’d ever seen it before. “Steve’s here,” you whispered, clearly embarrassed.

“Don’t mind me,” Steve said. “This is Bucky’s MO.”

“You did the exact same thing with Peggy’s niece,” countered Bucky, making Steve blush faintly.

“So, guess you’re his gal now, huh?” Steve asked you, smiling despite his own embarrassment. 

You glanced up at Bucky with what he could only describe as a devilish smile. “I don’t know, Steve. I’m not sure he really deserves that. He’s been awful rude.”

Steve let out a snort at the expression on Bucky’s face. “He’s a real jerk.”

“I think he should ask politely if I would consider it,” you continued, your voice sugary sweet.

Bucky just scowled at you and Steve. “All right, Punk. Get outta here. Me and this little minx have some things to discuss.” Steve chuckled but patted Bucky on the back, content that his friend’s rage had died down. The blond left you and Bucky alone on the balcony.

“Again with the dreadful pet names! Must you vex me so, Sergeant Barnes?” you demanded with a scowl that matched his.

“You love it when I vex you,” replied Bucky with a sly smirk. He pulled you close again, dipping his head slightly to whisper in your ear, “And you’re beautiful when you’re vexed.”

“Such nonsense you speak!” you grumbled, your cheeks burning brighter than before.

“So, are you my girl or what, kotyonok?” Bucky asked with a grin.

“I always have been,” you replied, smiling back at him. Bucky’s grin widened before he caught your lips up in another kiss – this one more searing and urgent than the first.

Bucky Barnes had come a long way since he went back into stasis twelve months ago and his recovery was far from over, but he would be able to come through it knowing he had you and Steve behind him every step of the way. He held you tighter and vowed to never let you go.

**Author's Note:**

> Kotyonok - Kitten  
> Myshka - Little Mouse


End file.
